Remote work has taken the global corporate sector by storm, forcing more and more employers to jump on the “remote” bandwagon. In this historic shift to remote control, office workers are breaking free from corporate shackles, while large centralized offices seem to be a thing of the past.
According to a recent Gallup Report, 7 out of 10 US white-collar workers continue to work remotely.
Are you an employee struggling to adapt to the paradigm shift or a business owner researching mainstream remote work trends to improve standard practices?
Regardless of which category you fall into, here are some highlights comprising of the most critical stats covered in this article to get you working:
Working remotely has increased by 159% since 2009
99% of people would probably prefer to work remotely for a lifetime
88% of organizations have made remote work mandatory
US companies will save $500B with long-term remote work
65% of remote workers Agree to a 5% pay cut to continue working remotely.
Remote worker income exceeds that of onsite workers by $100,000
Remote work from home statistics and trends for 2023
Here’s our roundup of 19 interesting remote work-from-home statistics that present an idea of the state of hybrid work models, which combine office and remote work, and what’s next:
Working remotely has increased 159% since 2009.
Source: Global Workplace Analytics
Employers and work from home have their own reasons for doing so. If you think this is just due to the pandemic, it even showed a tremendous increase since 2009.
Although the global pandemic of COVID-19 has caused more companies and businesses to have their employees work from home, working remotely is not a new thing. In fact, many workers and even business owners still plan to keep working remotely even after COVID-19.
According to Global Workplace Analytics, two main reasons are technological advances that allow people to perform tasks anywhere, and people’s growing love for balance and flexibility between work and personal lives.
99% of people would probably prefer to work remotely for their entire lives.
Source: Buffer
This is one of the most interesting statistics in the realm of remote work today. People tend to love flexibility, freedom, and work-life balance over the years. If only they had the opportunity to work from home for the rest of their lives, even part-time, they surely would. This goes to show that working remotely is not just a fad, but an incredible opportunity for everyone.
There are many other benefits that remote work can bring to both workers and employers. For some, these even pose challenges. However, the challenges or drawbacks are very limited compared to the benefits that working from home can offer.
The majority of remote workers are in the top 3 industries: 15% from healthcare, 10% from technology, and 9% from financial services.
Source: Owl Labs
These industries use the power of technology and aspects of digital marketing like web design, content creation, and web development. Health care dominates other industries here.
The bottom line is that home-based opportunities are not limited to just the major industries mentioned here. Companies are always looking for ways to run their businesses remotely to save money and even energy.
73% of all departments are expected to have home employees or independent contractors by 2028.
Source: Upwork
As predicted, all teams are expected to have 73% remote workers by 2028. This huge increase in just a few years from now will largely mean more flexible job opportunities. This also implies that telecommuting is becoming more popular even in various industries across the globe.
Cities with high income levels have more remote job opportunities.
Source: Pragati
People who live in cities that have higher income trend scores can easily afford the software and hardware needed to get the job done. These are probably preferred by people with desk jobs that offer easy access to remote workstations.
65% of workers in the US are willing to take a 5% pay cut to stay away completely.
Source: Breeze
According to a survey of 1,000 American workers conducted by Breeze, most participants accepted a pay cut in exchange for a long-term, fully remote position.
Workers spend 30 minutes less talking about non-work issues.
Source: Airtasker
A 2020 survey by Airtasker showed that employees who worked from home spent up to 30 fewer minutes discussing non-work topics. They reported that they face fewer distractions from their colleagues due to the remote work situation.
A Deloitte survey found that “maintaining the culture” was the top concern for management in remote work conditions.
Source: Deloitte
In a Deloitte survey of 275 executives, maintaining organizational culture emerged as the top concern. The concern was factored into the development of its 2021 hybrid/remote office strategies.
83% of workers think of a hybrid work model as optimal in the future.
Source: Accenture
In a future of work survey, 83% of 9,000 workers thought a hybrid work model was crucial. The report suggests that longer commutes and longer working hours are behind the widespread sentiment.
77% of remote workers report increased productivity when working from home.
Source: CoSoCloud
Something that was considered ridiculous before COVID has quickly become an apparent reality: a boost in productivity stemming from working from home.
The CoSo Cloud Survey for Remote Collaborative Workers attributes this finding to less stress, better health, and higher levels of motivation.
Remote workers earn $100,000/year more than on-site workers.
Source: Owl Labs
The Owl Lab State of Remote Work report revealed that remote workers earn up to $100,000 more than their on-site counterparts, which is more than double.
20% of employees who work remotely report loneliness as their biggest challenge.
Source: Buffer
Remote work has its drawbacks, and a lack of in-person communication is one of them. Remote Work Tools Buffer Status The report finds that employees feel dissatisfied due to little to no personal interaction.
54% of IT professionals believe that remote workers present a greater security risk than on-site employees.
Source: OpenVPN
As organizations maintain less control over employees working offsite, the security infrastructure becomes vulnerable. Such was the finding of an OpenVPN Remote Workforce Cybersecurity Survey, where IT professionals expressed concern about security challenges arising from remotely connected employees.
68% of hiring managers say working remotely works best for them.
Source: Upwork
According to a report on the growth of remote teams by Upwork – the freelance market giant, hiring managers report fewer non-essential meetings and more schedule flexibility as the reasons for the success of remote work.
According to a survey of 669 CEOs, 78 percent believed that remote collaboration should be considered a long-term business strategy.
Source: Flexjobs
Looking at it from a long-term perspective, remote work is highly feasible as it helps reduce costs. It also allows companies to deploy a large workforce without allocating funds for office space, which gives an idea of why most CEOs view it favorably.
88 percent of organizations made it mandatory or encouraged their employees to work from home after COVID-19.
Source: Gartner
According to a Gartner survey, 88 percent of companies worldwide have forced or encouraged their employees to work from home since the virus began to spread. Additionally, 97 percent of organizations immediately stopped all work-related travel.
72% of employees want to continue working from home even if they could return to the office.
Source: Apollotechnical.com
72% of employees and employers surveyed said they want to work from home at least two days a week, even once workplaces safely reopen and they can return to the office full time.
American companies can expect to save more than $500 billion a year with remote work.
Source: Staffing industry
Despite the initial capital expenditures (CapEx) that arise from the shift to remote work, American businesses will benefit financially. However, it would require the successful implementation of a hybrid work model, according to the global workplace analysis.
Remote work will reduce travel miles from 70 to 140 billion.
Source: KPMG
According to a research report by accounting firm KPMG, with an estimated 13 million to 27 million people working from home, commuting miles could be reduced by 70 to 140 billion annually by 2025.
Remote Work From Home Statistics: Overview
Remote work has produced unprecedented results and has shown great potential. Autonomy, independence, and greater inclusion of women and the disabled workforce point to a future in which hybrid workplaces will be commonplace.